Harborough residents asked to contribute to neighbourhood forums and help shape town's development

A neighbourhood forum in Market Harborough has been launched – and residents are being asked to contribute to help shape the town’s development.

The Harborough Town Hub, a community led, non-party political volunteer group, is creating neighbourhood forums in Market Harborough, with the support of Harborough District Council.

Anyone over the age of 18 who lives or work in the town can join a local forum.

The five areas proposed are the electoral wards of Little Bowden, Arden, Welland and Logan, plus a town centre forum for businesses and residents within the area outlined by the recently approved Town Centre Masterplan.

The first neighbourhood forum in Little Bowden, required 21 people to form the group and has already been filled. It and is working towards its neighbourhood priorities and but non-members can still contribute during the evidence gathering phase.

District council spokesman for neighbourhood plans, Cllr Jonathan Bateman said: “We know people are keen to join these forums, which is great. Those sitting on the forum will help set out neighbourhood priorities from the local community, relating to a range of social, economic and environmental issues. These may, for example, include matters relating to transport, green spaces, community facilities, etc. The community’s vision can be set out in the Neighbourhood Plan and would work alongside the Local Plan, adopted by the council. In fact, many village parish councils in the Harborough district already have fully-adopted Neighbourhood Plans.”

Market Harborough does not have a town or parish council, but a neighbourhood forum, once formally designated, will have the same statutory rights as a parish council for neighbourhood planning.

In October, the Harborough Town Hub received feedback from residents and businesses attending the Big Green Week and Volunteers’ Fair about what people like about Market Harborough and what they would want to change.

People can email the Council’s Neighbourhood Planning Engagement Officer, Simon Hobbs to highlight what they enjoy about living or working in Market Harborough and what they might like to see protected. He can also be contacted for opportunities to join the other neighbourhood forums.